Jun 20 17:05:17 106 PA - TW Gadgets R Us
From Chronicles
Kingsdale - Cali's Garage
At four PM in the evening on Monday, Zachary is working on an engine. It has been taken out of a nearby buggy and is in pieces on top of a clean cloth, the laborious process of carefully putting it back together nearly finished in its entirety. He's knelt beside it, carefully checking over the reconstructed mass of machinery for any faults or loose fastenings, his brow softly furrowed and his mostly clean coveralls showing the day's grime and grease. As per his usual, the rest of the garment is unusually clean for the work clothing of a mechanic.
Caliopa has just finished up her job, and she is leaning over the desk, staring at the work book with a frown. "Reckon that finishes us up for today." She calls over her shoulder as she turns the page, planning for tomorrow. "Ain't been busy." The words hold a touch of worry in them, Caliopa's forehead wrinkling as she begins to scribble initials next to tomorrows workload.
Excellent. It appears that Leonard did manage to arrive before closing, despite his late departure, by the fact of the door opening to allow him entrance. A closed umbrella is in one hand, serving an enhanced role as travel aid with tip meeting the concrete in time with his step. The other arm is lifted in greeting to the familiar pair with his approach. "Good afternoon."
Zachary looks up from his inspection. "Yes, once I've reseated this engine, it will be done. Though the owner won't be by until the day after tomorrow." After considering the engine for a few moments he rises up, automatically pulling out one of the many clean cloths that he keeps in his various pockets, beginning the process of rubbing down his hands. His attention fixed on Cali with a soft mix of concern and thought. But before he might make good on his thoughts, Leo comes in. Zachary turns to note him and he offers a smile. "Leonard. I was going to come and visit you soon. This is quite fortuitous."
Caliopa glances up, her sunny smile closing down at the sight of Leonard but she greets him politely. "Leonard." She pushes the book away, giving Zachary an abrupt nod. "There, we're all sorted for the day." She turns, pushing her hands into her overall's pockets, glancing between the men. "Need privacy?"
"Oh? Maybe I should have delayed, and our meeting could have been fortuitous with less walk." Leonard lifts a brow in curiosity over a grin widening in mirth. Until Cali's clouding countenance proves mildly contagious, that is. "How are you, Cali? You and the shop seem to be as busy as always." Even following the dim, his demeanor remains on the friendly side of polite.
Zachary is a bit uncertain at the vibe that he gets when Cali addresses Leo. The loss of her smile a notable thing. But he passes it by the next moment as he notes, "Actually, Cali, I think I am finally ready to present something to you." He smiles, looking towards Leonard. "And I can take a moment to show you the finished product of what you commissioned from me." He turns his attention back towards Cali then. "In my spare time I've been making a few devices. We've spoken of the possibility of selling items of Techno-Wizardry from here. I've made a few items of common use that could provide a very lucrative addition to the shop's income." He allows a bit of pride to touch his outward demeanor. "I will get the items, I've secured them in my bag in the back." And, eager to show off his stuff, he heads back almost at once.
"Fine." The word is given in reply to Leonard, almost begrudgingly before she turns her gaze onto Zachary, listening as he explains. She nods, watching him leave with a slight discomfort as she turns back to the book. She waits in silence for Zachary to return, her back straight, her face turned away from Leonard.
Leonard nods to Zachary with the explanation. "Please. I'm impressed that you did so so quickly..." After the elf steps to the back, a quiet looms. Initially, Leonard takes the pause with patience, but his gaze soon returns to Cali's deliberately turned back. He observes a moment longer before speaking. "While upsetting others has proven to be a talent of mine, lately, I'm not sure what I've done to earn your distaste, Cali." A sigh is exhaled that softens his words. "Although I /am/ sure that it's wholly deserved."
"Cheatin' on a friend of mine 'n' hurtin' her. I'll be polite to you in front of her so it ain't hurtin' her, but I ain't got no call to be friendly otherwise." She continues to do paperwork as she replies, not looking over her shoulder. "That clear enough for you?" Caliopa finally turns around, folding her arms across her chest, giving Leonard a direct look. "When you treat Vixen like you ought, 'n' keep it up,..."
Leonard opens his mouth to speak, hesitates, and then closes it. Following this, he simply gives Cali a nod of acknowledgement and acceptance. "We're... I'm working to do just that, and continue to do so."
Alistair opens the door and steps in, carrying a small briefcase - he sees a glaring Cali, blinks, his eyes move to scan the area and he sees Leonard. That explains things! "Hello" he smiles, closing the door behind him.
Zachary comes back out without too much delay, a broad smile held as he comes bearing three items. One is a turdy metallic base that holds atop it a raised LED light, augmented with three quartz stones which is enclosed by a sturdy, clear plastic dome. The second is a common stove lighter, though it has a ruby quartz stone at the tip and a smoky stone nearer the push button of the lighter. And the last looks like an old battery pack, about a foot long, a few inches wide and deep, though it has a few extra wires run along the outside and a portion of the housing has been removed to allow for a strange conglomeration of small parts to be added on, with quite a few smoky quartz stones inset, along with a small ruby quartz in there as well. "I think you will be very pleased with what I have created," he asserts as he emerges, unaware of the moment of drama before. Though he does note Alistair's presence. "Greetings," he offers with a broad and pleased smile.
Caliopa nods, giving Leonard that steady look before Alistair arrives and her face softens, her smile returning for him. "Hey." She replies to his greeting softly, Zachary's arrival drawing her attention away. She leans against the desk, giving the items a serious look, inspecting them closely. "Tell me." She replies softly.
Alistair makes his way in proper, waving a hand to Zachary and Leo, and returning a smile to Cali again - for now he stays quiet though, letting Zachary take the spotlight while Alistair moves beside Caliopa, touching her hand for a moment, then leaving her to inspect Zachary's work.
Zachary steps up to the workbench to lay down the items carefully. The based globe being what he keeps in hand, the stove lighter and the power pack left on the top of the table. "This one is the first I made. Very simple and very useful, especially for psychics who can't cast a spell to create light." He holds it up and with just a little focus, the LED within lights up with the radiance of a Globe of Daylight, lighting up twelve feet around him with the bulk of its light. "It will last for six minutes with the slightest infusion of power and the cost to make it in time and resources is minimal in comparison to its usefulness." It's obvious from his tone that he's very proud of the simple little device.
Caliopa listens, examining each item slowly, thoroughly. "This is impressive, Zach." She speaks slowly, her forehead wrinkling. "Very impressive." She steps back, pushing her hands into the coverall's pockets. "They should sell well." Her face is thoughtful, the worrisome thoughts showing clearly on her face.
Alistair looks at the device and smiles, "Oh, that sounds pretty neat!" he comments, nodding his head; his gaze moves on to Cali's face and he notes her expression even as she offers encouraging thoughts. "What's wrong?" he asks quietly, brows hiking up a touch.
"You've improved upon your earlier prototype," Leonard notes, from a discrete distance, "and crafted two more. Again, I'm quite impressed." His assessment and opinion may be limited in validity given his lack of expertise, but they are given nonetheless. "I do hope that you're saving /some/ time for yourself."
Zachary extinguishes the globe with a thought and turns, offering it to Cali. "If you wished to give it a try yourself. I have already sold one to a young woman for six thousand credits. I think it to be a proper amount for the time needed and the materials. I could create several a day with ease. The next two are similar in their opposition." Should Cali not take the item, he'll set it aside. Either way, he picks up the power pack, which has a clip on it to attach it to his belt. He does so and picks up the firestarter, moving out to the middle of the shop floor with them. "I've had plenty of time, none of these are deeply difficult to make."
Caliopa takes the item, inspecting it closely in silence. She turns it over in her hands, letting her technical mind do the work. "It is real good, Zachary." A hesitation as she braces herself to ask the question that is bothering her. "Does this mean you'll be leavin'? Having fundin' for yourself, I mean..."
Alistair looks from Cali to Zachary, and just listens for now as the question is posed. There's not much for him to say at this point - he lifts the briefcase and sets it on the countertop now, letting it rest there for the time being.
Leonard observes Zach's movement and presumed, pending demonstration. He doesn't make any further inquiries just yet, awaiting whatever display the elf wishes to make, as well as allowing Cali's concerned question a wide berth and priority.
Zachary pauses as Cali asks that question, turning to look towards her with his brow furrowed slightly. Obviously not making much connection with the reasoning behind the question. For a moment at least, until it dawns on him. "I'm doing this to better your business such that it can expand. In truth, I am hoping we might get to the point that Amber would have full work here and I could focus on my trade, augmenting armor and creating devices for those that wish them. And perhaps others might be hired if there is work enough to support more in time."
There is a flicker of relief on Caliopa's face, and her smile emerges a little. "Reckon if you sell two of them a week, we can cover Amber's full time hours." She speaks slowly, doing the maths in her head, her forehead wrinkling. "Reckon ...if you are doin' this, you ought to get a cut or a rise or somethin'." The offer is spoken clearly, looking directly at Zachary.
Alistair smiles, but remains quiet still - there's a moment where he seems to think numbers along with Cali, then he's back to observing, though he does discretely reach to squeeze one of Cali's hands.
Leonard's attention now shifts from Zach, to Cali, then dwells between them both. A few potential comments come to mind, but, in lieu of interrupting, his gaze moves once more. Now it falls on Alistair, and an arched brow displays his curiosity and surprise of the unexpected discussion to the other man.
"That is something that is for you to decide," Zachary replies to Cali with a dip of his head. Hardly so crass as to leap at such a thing. Not that he doesn't seem pleased with the presentation thus far. He lifts the stove lighter. "This device holds the same function it was made for, but augmented. A push of the button before would create a flame at the tip for lighting whatever you might wish to light. Now, a push and a little expenditure of power.." He produces one of his clean cloths and lays it down at the center of the floor, far from anything combustible. He does take a moment to glance about, making doubly sure before he points it at the cloth and pushes the button. The device clicks like it should, but the cloth suddenly bursts into flames, consumed almost at once by the sudden fire. "It can be adjusted by this dial to produce a slight, pinpoint flame for lighting fires, upward to spark flame within five square feet of the point you target. Which itself can be up to forty feet away. Though once the f ire has started, it is mundane, as any other normal fire." Obviously he's been testing the items.
Caliopa turns at the touch, giving Alistair a look that is questioning, almost a reply to the thought about numbers. "I ain't wrong over the numbers, am I?" A trace of anxiety in her words, before Zachary draws her attention back to the technology. "Zach, this is real clever." Her words are murmured as she bends over to look closer, lost in the technology. "You ought to open shop for yourself, Zach..."
"Hm? Oh, no, you're right" Alistair smiles, nodding his head. He gives her another squeeze to reassure her, glancing at Zachary and at Leo for a moment before returning his attention to Cali. He ponders on her encouragement for Zachary to open his own shop; "That must be pretty expensive to set up though."
Zachary looks towards Cali, his brows lifted. "Perhaps, but I hardly have the means. And it would be better for both to have our ventures combined, would it not?" Simple and pragmatic that observation. He then touches the powerpack lightly. "Now this.. this is perhaps what will provide the most return value, for I can see this one being so very useful to many. Both in combat and in mundane applications. It generates a field of fire immunity."
Caliopa steps back, leaning against the desk, her face thoughtful. "Reckon both are real good." She speaks slowly, nibbling her lower lip as she is thinking deeply, her forehead wrinkling. "What tools do we need to get? If I clear a piece of the garage for your workin', you can do it mostly full time. You get your wages 'n' a cut of what you sell." The offer is spoken as she is thinking it out, her eyes on Zachary.
Alistair rubs his chin a little and hms softly, but he still doesn't say anything at this time - it is Cali's shop after all, but he doesn't seem to disagree with what's being said. The rest if for them to decide, then he offers, "I can run the numbers if you need help on deciding for how much of a cut."
Zachary pauses again and smiles at Cali. He seems pleased, but focuses on his demonstration. "This one is simple to show," he states as he touches the power pack at his hip. A single LED light on it glows a soft red in response. Active, a red shimmer coalescing around him, lingering to barely obscure his form behind it. And with that done, he lifts the Firestarter, murmuring a soft pair of words. Channeling the brief spell as he points the business end of the Firestarter at himself. His confidence is complete as the tip glows, then ejects a Firebolt point blank at himself. It hits, the magical fire existing within the field, but it flares against his chest harmlessly, dissipating without even a hint of singe to his coveralls. "Within its area of effect, normal fires slowly die as they cannot feel on their fuel as well," he notes with a smile.
Caliopa glances at Alistair, giving him a smile and a nod, her eyes warming. "Reckon it is a good plan. I ain't wantin' to promise what I ain't able to follow up." She murmurs, a flash of a dimple as her eyes rest on Alistair, before she turns back. Her gaze moves to observe Zachary's demonstration, watching closely. "That is real clever." She murmurs, narrowing her eyes slightly as she watches.
Alistair nods his head to Cali, smiling back at her, and then he looks to Zachary and the device he is demonstrating. "SO then, you can use this to stop fires as well?" he inquires, "Perhaps this could be quite a sell to Kingsdale's emergency services, not to mention a reasonable replacement for fire extinguishers that won't hurt people."
His attention returns fully to Zachary as the demonstrations resume, and Leonard observes with a mixture of curiosity, mild awe, and concern. The last is minimal, yet notable, when the display turns to potentially singed elf. "Yet again, I'm quite impressed, no matter how minimal your efforts were. The utility of such devices is extensive." Alistair's offered possibility draws a brow upwards, followed by a nod of agreement. "An excellent example. Do you have any already available for purchase?"
"Yes, though this device is the hardest to make and is a bit expensive compared to the others. As you can see by the visible field, it covers only eight feet in all directions, thus it would take several to covers a wider area. For means of fire suppression. It took about twenty three hours to make this one and costs nearly four thousand credits. But I could command a considerable sum for it." Zach then smiles at Leo and lightly touches the device again, the shimmering field fading away. "This one is yours now, for a mere twelve thousand credits," he states. "Believe me, for the average consumer it would sell for at least two to three times more at least. But as you aided me in generating this idea and that yours is for a positive cause, I could hardly justify charging such a price." He steps towards Leo, the Firestarter going into a pocket such that he can pull the power pack from where it hangs off his belt.
Caliopa nods slowly, thoughtfully as she glances between Alistair and Zachary, "Alright. ..." She comments slowly. "We need to be clearing some room. Zachary, do you reckon that room downstairs, the one with a cot in it, that'd do for your workin', or do you need to be up here?" She glances at Alistair, a faint flush rising in her cheeks, and a silent apology for something in her eyes.
"Done." Leonard responds to Zachary's bargain, without hesitation. "I'm interested in your other creations, as well, whenever they might be available. There is no pressing haste, however." His free hand delves into a pocket for his credstick with Zachary's approach, to offer in exchange.
"Twelve thousand, wow ... " says Alistair, blinking his eyes at the thing and the price of it; he looks to Cali then and blushes somewhat as well, but he smiles at her sheepishly, without opposition to her offer of that room. Zachary is oblivious to the subtleties amid his 'triumphant' display of his wares. For surely it couldn't be thought to be anything but in this moment. "I don't require any new or unusual space to create my devices," he notes to Cali. "Just a proper workspace that is out of the way of traffic. I use much the same tools, for the magical aspect is part of the mechanical and that which is not is done via tools of the mind and will." He smiles over towards her, then looks to Leo to complete their transaction before the power pack gets handed over to him.
Caliopa nods slowly, her eyes widening slightly at the ease with which Leonard hands over the money. She turns away, surveying the garage. "I'll put in more worktop over there, cut down on ..." She is thinking along, mentally rearranging. "This could work." Cautious optomism.
Leonard makes the appropriate transfer of funds before accepting the device. He handles it somewhat gingerly and gives it a final inspection, more to sate intrigue than any deep understanding of the mechanism itself, before clipping it to his belt. His attention finally shifts towards widened and blinking eyes of the others. "Magic is rarely inexpensive, but well worth the investment." The words are light and hold a touch of humor before firming as he adds, "Obviously, producing such would be profitable." It is a little redudant, but given regardless.
Alistair just watches all of this happen, quietly for now - though that the room doesn't need to be used seems to bring just a little bit of relief. "Sounds like an exciting day - is it making anyone else hungry?" he asks, smiling.
"There is no means by simple spells to produce the effect that my Anti-Fire field does. Nor so efficiently in terms of the power use. Nor could every psychic do so." He turns towards the other two with a smile as he explains matters. "It does so for less than the spells involved as well. Part of the art of my trade is the right mix of gems and power matrices to do precisely what you want for a minimum of cost in resources and magic, as well as a minimum of time spent in creation. And when I can broaden my spell knowledge, there is much I could do in addition. I have considered attempting to obtain some healing spells, though I haven't thought deeply on the matter yet." Who needs food when you can live off the soft elation that warms his voice and expression.
Caliopa is clearly thinking heavily, her forehead wrinkling. "Alright..." She is speaking slowly, "Zachary, we need to sit down, look at figures. But if you can sell two of them a week like that, you ain't got a problem coverin' Amber's wages, even with your cut." She nods, her shoulders relaxing a little, the garage bills clearly stressing her.
"I'll leave you three to your discussion." Leonard begins to excuse himself. Whatever his initial reason for the visit, it was either addressed, or not so pressing that it can't wait for another time. "Thank you, again, Zachary. I'll be certain to mention your name, and here, should I find anyone else in need of some very useful equipment." He then turns to depart, if not very quickly, with the aid of his umbrella-turned-cane.
"Cali, do you have a computer?" Alistair asks almost out of the blue, "I didn't get one because I'm not so good with them ... um" he blushes, and bites his lower lip, quieting down - realizing he's just suddenly interrupting.
"I'm sure we shall find a proper balance in production. Create certain numbers of items per week, see what sells at what rate and tailor to that demand," Zachary replies, smiling broadly. He gives Leo a nod. "Thank you very much, Leonard. Do let me know if you have any more ideas on potential ideas. And if the Anti-Fire field lives up to what was required of it." He then turns to note to Cali, "I will make a list of the required resources and time for my three current designs and we can make a decision soon." He seems to think things are well handled now, going to gather up his light globe. His personal prototypes to be held on to.
Caliopa looks up, startled out of her thoughts. "Yeah, at home." She replies to Alistair, all business now. She turns, reaching for her coat and her keys. "Reckon home 'n' get somethin' to eat." Leonard's exit is ignored by the petite woman, as she replies to Zachary. "Do you want to lock up? I'll see you in the mornin'." With that, she gathers Alistair too and heads for the door.
